A re-elected Albanese Labor Government will expand Australia’s network of free urgent care clinics, committing $644 million to establish 50 new Medicare Urgent Care Clinics across every state and territory. The expansion builds on Labor’s previous election promise, which has already seen the establishment of 87 clinics nationwide.
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the initiative would make urgent care more accessible to Australians, ensuring they receive the medical attention they need without the financial burden.
“This announcement of 50 additional Urgent Care Clinics if we are re-elected will provide the urgent care people need – and all you will need is your Medicare card, not your credit card.”
The new clinics, set to open during the 2025-26 financial year, will be spread across the country, with 14 in New South Wales, 12 in Victoria, 10 in Queensland, six in Western Australia, three in South Australia, three in Tasmania, one in the Northern Territory, and one in the Australian Capital Territory.
Once all 137 clinics are operational, four in five Australians will live within a 20-minute drive of a bulk-billed Medicare Urgent Care Clinic, according to the Department of Health and Aged Care.
More than 1.2 million Australians have already sought treatment at existing Medicare Urgent Care Clinics, which provide bulk-billed care for non-life-threatening conditions, seven days a week, with extended hours and no appointment required. Parents and families have embraced the service, with one in three patients being children under 15 years old.
Labor’s investment in urgent care clinics is part of a broader effort to strengthen Medicare, which Albanese described as the “largest investment in Medicare in over 40 years.” The package also includes $7.9 billion to increase bulk billing, $617 million for expanded GP training, and $573 million to improve healthcare access and affordability for women.
Health Minister Mark Butler highlighted the contrast between Labor’s investment in Medicare and the Coalition’s stance on healthcare funding.
The opposition has criticised the urgent care clinics, with Coalition leader Peter Dutton labelling them a misuse of taxpayer money and vowing to shut them down if elected. However, a survey of healthcare professionals found strong support for the initiative, with seven in 10 GPs backing Medicare Urgent Care Clinics and eight in 10 agreeing they help ease pressure on hospital emergency departments.
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) January 20, 2025
Send this to someone who needs to know about our free Medicare Urgent Care Clinics.
They’re right across Australia. Chances are there’s one near you.
You can find your closest Urgent Care Clinic here: https://t.co/EGwNpgdMPA
So next time you’ve got a cut, burn or break –… pic.twitter.com/pqXhlRaBp3
With around two million Australians expected to use Urgent Care Clinics each year, the Albanese Government argues that these facilities play a crucial role in providing timely medical care while reducing strain on hospitals.
The expansion of Medicare Urgent Care Clinics was provisioned in the 2024-25 Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook (MYEFO), ensuring funding is secured for the next phase of the program.
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